What is Forensic Science?

You have just made yourself a delicious ice-cream sundae when you
have to rush to the loo to attend nature’s call. But upon your return,
you find the bowl empty and licked clean! Who’s the culprit? 

You look for clues! And just then you observe your younger sister
unusually quiet and just to herself. You scan her face – the sides of
her mouth are wet and it hints as if she has just gobbled
up something. 

You are not sure yet before you spot a dribble of melted chocolate on

her t-shirt. There are no chocolates in the house, so it must be the
chocolate sauce from the sundae that you had made.

Finally when you touch her right hand fingers, they are still sticky
from the treat!

Everything fits in perfectly – Congratulations! You have just solved

the mystery of the sneaky sundae eater, using forensic science.
Forensic Science is the science that examines the clues of
the crime scene to solve the investigation. It uses various
scientific techniques to solve a crime by collecting and
analyzing evidence while relying on various branches of
science like biology and chemistry. 

What is Evidence?
The foundation of forensic science is based on the principle that the
culprit always leaves clues or as the forensic experts say, evidence
after committing a crime.

The evidence could be in any form – from visible physical

belongings to discrete, not-so-visible chemical or biological evidence
like fingerprints.  

Who are Forensic Experts?

Forensic experts are amalgam of a detective and a scientist. Their
job is to collect and analyze the evidence, which could then be used
to nail the culprit. 

It is a serious job where forensic experts spend hours in their labs

and on the crime scene, depending on the type of crime, to gather
evidence and connect contours to reach the culprit.

But, not all is gloomy and dark for forensic detectives. For kids,
being a forensic detective could mean extracting DNA from a fruit or
simply tracking down their chocolate thief.

Here are a few of the evidences that forensic experts look

for, while solving a case:

 Fingerprints
 DNA
 Hair 
 Footprints
  Blood
 Handwriting
 Fibers of materials like clothing
 Splatters 
 Glass shards
 Liquids
 Soil
 Tyre Tracks
 Bullets
 Gun residues
 Chemicals
 Camera Recordings

What are Fingerprints?

Remember the fingerprinting crafts from kindergarten? That’s
exactly what fingerprints are! But for CSI, things get more
interesting than what meets the eye. 

Simply put, a fingerprint is a trace of human fingertips left on

a surface. Each finger in your hand has its own unique pattern
composed of arches, loops or whorls. 

Every time you hold an object, you leave marks of your fingertips on
its surface even when you are not using paint as in thefingerprinting
crafts. 

That’s because your body excretes sweat and oil that covers the

outer layer of your skin. Every time you touch something, this sweat
and oil is left behind (much like the paint) in a pattern that
resembles the one-of-a-kind pattern of your fingertips.
All of us have our own unique fingerprints and no two fingerprints
are alike. This means that our unique fingerprints can help identify
each one of us! Thus for CSI, fingerprints are vital evidence. 

Like if you could extract the fingerprints from the ice-cream sundae
bowl and match it with your younger sister’s fingerprints, you would
find that they are the same, down to the tiniest of the details.

What are Footprints?

Footprints are unique patterns on your feet. And much like
fingerprints, footprints too are unique for every person. For CSI,
footprints may refer to shoe-prints as well.  

Forensic detectives study shoe-prints to ideate the height or size of

the person in question and also to match them with other footprints
to conjoin clues to solve the mystery.

What is DNA?
DNA is an acronym for Deoxyribonucleic Acid. It is one’s unique
genetic imprint that cannot be changed or modified. DNA is the
code that governs the functioning and growth of one’s body.

The colour of your eyes & hair, shape of your ear lobes and even
your height, everything is determined by your DNA. 

Everyone is born with a unique DNA and can be identified by it. It

implies that DNA could be substantial evidence in CSI.

Forensic investigators often look for hair samples, saliva, bones,

tissues and blood at the crime scene. These evidences are collected
for CSI as they can be used to extract DNA and pin down the
suspect. 
How Camera Recording Helps in Crime Scene
Investigation?
Chances are, your school or even your neighborhood supermarket
has surveillance cameras. Yes! That small camera that you see
mounted on the walls is nothing but a device that captures every
face that goes in and out of that place.

Source: www.unsplash.com

These surveillance cameras are connected to recording devices that

records and allows you to view the recording on your smartphone,
computer or even a tablet.

Just imagine how easy catching your ice-cream thief would be, if you
had a security camera installed in your kitchen.

Source: https://kidpillar.com/what-does-a-detective-do-crime-scene-investigation-for-kids/#1

Questions

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